A passenger of Hawaiian descent who caused a disturbance aboard a plane in February 2022 received several months in prison and a hefty fine of nearly $40,000 last week while the plane was forced to turn back.
“During the flight, Farris used profanity and threatened the crew and passengers on board. Because of his conduct, employees were unable to continue their duties,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona said in a statement Tuesday.
Cayla Farris, 29, pleaded guilty last September to interfering with an airline crew member during a flight from Phoenix, Arizona, to Honolulu, Hawaii, aboard American Airlines in February 2022, the New York Post reported Thursday.
However, the threats and profanity were so great that the captain had no choice but to turn around and take the plane back to Phoenix, the release said.
“For the passengers on board, this disruption has resulted in the diversion of several flights to Hawaii,” it said.
District Judge Susan Brnovich therefore decided on a sentence of 3.6 months in prison and a hefty fine of $38,952 to compensate American Airlines for the costs associated with the delays resulting from its actions.
To this end, the woman will not be taken on a commercial flight without prior authorization for three years after her release, the public prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday.